Welcome to the Greater Washington, DC chapter of the Network of Spiritual Progressives - an organization of spiritual and secular people igniting a culture of love, peace, generosity and justice.
We have meetings and events all around the Washington Metropolitan area. Please contact us locally at nspwashingtondc@gmail.com

Sunday, October 23, 2011

On November 3-4, 2011, G20 leaders will gather in Cannes, France for the G20 Summit. As part of an international campaign supporting the Financial Transaction Tax, citizens are urging their elected officials to sign onto the Global Parliamentarian’s Declaration for FTT support. The Declaration will be delivered on November 3rd to this gathering along with FTT assessment reports by the Gates Foundation, the European Commission and UNITAD (the UN agency responsible for the successful airline levy for malaria, HIV and TB prevention and treatment).

The FTT could provide tens of billions of dollars for international development, poverty alleviation, mitigating climate change and serving some domestic needs. And, just as important it would help reduce destabilizing and unproductive financial speculation that still exists today, 3 years after the economic crisis that such speculative high finance practices helped create.

Nearly 1000 members of Parliament have already signed on, but only 4 US Members of Congress have done so. We the people, the 99%, can change that. Please call, email or visit your U.S. Representative and both Senators this week and urge them to add their name to this vital Declaration before it’s November 3rd delivery. Let them know they can sign the declaration by visiting http://tinyurl.com/parl-dec-for-ftt and it takes less than a minute. The text of the Declaration is below. If they won’t sign, ask them for their reasons in writing.

WE, THE UNDERSIGNED, PARLIAMENTARIANS FROM AROUND THE WORLD, DECLARE THAT:

We are committed to the implementation of taxes on financial transactions, such as shares, bonds, foreign exchange and derivatives, in order to raise substantial additional finance to combat poverty, climate change and health challenges and protect public services and jobs; and to improve the stability of the world’s financial system.

In the light of the recent economic crisis caused by the financial sector and the immense costs to citizens in both the developed and developing world, it is time for the sector responsible to make a far greater contribution to help safeguard livelihoods and save lives.

We urge Governments both in Europe, where some states such as France and Germany are already taking a lead, and in every country around the world, to take all steps necessary for an early introduction of FTTs, noting that progress by a coalition of willing states, or at the Euro-zone or EU level, is urgently required and feasible.

Urge Capitol Hill to send a message from Main Street to Wall Street that it is time for high financiers to pay a tax on excessive speculation practices. Practices that only benefit a few among the richest 1% but fail to investment in real economic growth. The growth the other 99% need and deserve.

ACTION: Call the congressional switchboard at 202-225-3121 and ask to be connected to your US Representative (and then each Senator). If you don’t know who that is, offer the switchboard person your zip code...and they will tell you who it is, and connect you. Once you get connected, ask for the staff person who deals with Wall Street regulations or US development assistance. Be nice, be fast, be passionate. Ask for a response before October 28th. With or without the response, respond appropriately with a letter to the editor in your local paper, mentioning the Congressperson by name, and why you think they are right or wrong in their answer. Let us know here at The Network of Spiritual Progressives of your action.